Tagged Walt Longmire

I‘ve fallen so far behind in getting my book reviews on the blog and I apologize for that. I’ll try to catch up a little here in the coming weeks so you can have some ideas for holiday book gifts. And of course, I’m always a pusher for this man’s books, so if you know someone who isn’t reading them yet, they’d make a great gift for sure. So here’s the most recent Walt Longmire from Craig Johnson–make sure you read the acknowledgements, it’s a bonus story! My review first appeared in Shelf Awareness for Readers.

First line: “I tried to think how many times I’d kneeled down on asphalt to read the signs, but I knew this was the first time I’d done it in Hulett.”

For the twelfth novel in Craig Johnson’s highly addictive mystery series, Absaroka County sheriff, Walt Longmire, and his best friend, Henry Standing Bear, are in Hulett, Wyoming during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. It’s August and bikers from around the world are pouring into the area when one of them is run off the road and left in a coma. The investigating officer calls on Walt to help solve the crime.

While following the clues, Walt encounters hostile biker gangs, an undercover ATF agent, the namesake for Henry’s ’59 Thunderbird and a 15-ton, military-grade MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicle. Meanwhile Walt’s undersheriff, Vic Moretti, shows up in her rental car, a bright orange Dodge Challenger. The suspense ratchets to nose-bleed levels and the action races non-stop. Paying homage to what is arguably the most famous orange Dodge, albeit a Charger, Johnson includes a rip-roaring car chase complete with a field full of hay bales. The Dukes of Hazard would certainly be proud.

Rounding out a dozen books with his beloved sheriff, not to mention short stories and novellas, Johnson hasn’t lost a step. An Obvious Fact is fresh and exciting, while still maintaining all the attributes that make this series so popular. It’s witty and complex with pop culture weaved into clever Sherlock Holmes literary references. The brilliantly colorful, snappy dialogue remains second to none. And dynamic characters surprise and delight readers with their charm, authenticity and depth. The most obvious fact is not deceptive at all; Craig Johnson writes a mighty fine story.